Featuring: Cometdocs, the online document management system, now has a desktop app available; Is the October 31st release of the Nexus 5, a trick or a treat?; What to do if you are infected by Cryptolocker and how to prevent the infection; and, The Xbox One Console, a product that will be in high demand…

Convert Files Quickly and Easily By Using Cometdocs
From Your Desktop

Cometdocs is an online document management system where you can convert your PDF files to Word, Excel, Powerpoint and more. You can also convert various formats to PDF. Cometdocs allows you to store and share your documents, online, for FREE. Recently Cometdocs released this desktop application where you can complete various file conversions, from your desktop, without having to go to the Cometdocs site.

With one right click on a document, you are presented with the file conversion options for that document type. Once you have chosen your conversion, the file will be automatically converted and download to your computer in a matter of moments… GET IT HERE

Nexus 5 expected to debut October 31 in the US – TechSpot

TRICK OR TREAT?: have been following the announcements leading to the development and release of Google’s Nexus 5 smartphone. According to TechSpot, we can expect the release on October 31st…

The anticipation and excitement surrounding the upcoming Nexus 5 smartphone and Android 4.4 Kitkat software update have reached a feverish pace, especially when you consider the phone briefly appeared on the Google Play store last week. And if the latest rumors prove to be true, consumers won’t have to wait much longer for the device as the latest suggests it will launch on October 31 in the US… READ MORE

Cryptolocker: How to avoid getting infected
and what to do if you are

I know I posted information yesterday about Cryptolocker, but this is extremely important. If you become victim of Cryptolocker, you are at high odds of losing your personal files. I have never seen anything like this and I feel, the more I let people know, the better. If you see the below graphic show up on your PC displaying that your personal files are encrypted, you have been nailed!

Cryptolocker comes in the door through social engineering. Usually the virus payload hides in an attachment to a phishing message, one purporting to be from a business copier like Xerox that is delivering a PDF of a scanned image, from a major delivery service like UPS orFedEx offering tracking information or from a bank letter confirming a wire or money transfer… READ MORE

This Product Is Not Guaranteed At Release Date of November 22, 2013 Due To High Demand

Xbox One Console – Standard Edition

I love it when I see a new product that is in such demand, you most likely don’t have a shot at it, until months after its’ release.

Introducing Xbox One. Where the best games, multiplayer, and your favorite movies, music, sports and live TV come togeather in one place. Xbox One games look and feel incredibly real, with cinematic gameplay that rivals Hollywood. Watch TV or chat with friends on Skype while you play, and keep on playing while smarter matchmaking happens behind the scenes. With Xbox One, you can snap two things side-by-side on your TV, and switch from one to another instantly. Cloud-powered and built for the digital age, Xbox One is designed to keep getting better over time… CHECK IT OUT HERE

Cryptolocker Ransomware is the first type of malware that I have ever seen where, once on your system, it will look for file extensions to files that you commonly use and will encrypt them so that you cannot access them (unless you have the private decryption key). In essence, your files are held hostage and you can only get them back by paying $300 for the decryption key.

Cryptolocker will encrypt users’ files using asymmetric encryption, which requires both a public and private key.

The public key is used to encrypt and verify data, while private key is used for decryption, each the inverse of the other… READ MORE

Giveaway! WinX DVD Ripper Platinum Halloween Edition

WinX DVD Ripper typically sells for $59.99… You can get it now, for FREE, until November 4th.

Keep your Microsoft account safer with two-factor authentication

PCWorld has a nice article about using two-factor authentication with your Microsoft accounts. I highly recommend a person to use this; not only with your Microsoft accounts, but with your Google accounts, as well…

If you use Microsoft services like SkyDrive, Outlook.com webmail, or Xbox Live, you have a Microsoft account. If you have a Microsoft account, you might use it to store personal information that you wouldn’t want hackers to be able to get at. You know, credit cards and tax returns and such. Turning on two-factor authentication can help keep would-be data thieves out, and your secrets secret… READ MORE

In today’s world of electronics, it is a plus when you can find devices that provide shockproof protection.

The Armor A30 simply provides the best all-around protection in an amazingly tough and durable enclosure. It offers military-grade shockproof protection by including a shock-resistant silica gel from the internal structure to the exterior which adds an extra shield to withstand shocks and crushes… CHECK IT OUT HERE

Squeak #1 – (A FREE Start Menu For Windows 8.1): I keep reading that Windows 8.1 will have a Start Menu; however, I also read that it is not the real Start Menu, as we know it. To help you with this, I encourage you to take a look at Classic Shell. The developers recently updated Classic Shell to make it fully compatible with Windows 8.1 (SEE BELOW);

Squeak #2 – (The 5 Links You Should Not Click): ABC has a nice write-up, that you should read to educate (and remind), on what to look for (and not do) to prevent a malware or ransomware attack to your computer… (SEE BELOW);

Squeak #3 – (Desktop Publishing In The Cloud): As cloud computing continues to move forward, I am seeing more and more complex applications being made available. LucidPress’ online desktop publisher is no exception (SEE BELOW); and,

Squeak #4 – (Easily add 9 USB 3.0 SuperSpeed ports to your PC ): In need of additional USB ports? Always go with a powered USB hub. Today I came across a 9-port hub that has built in surge protection and built in ports to charge your devices (SEE BELOW)…

The 5 Deadly Clicks: The Links You Should Never Touch

Here’s a scary scenario. You’re innocently surfing the Web, maybe on an unfamiliar site, not paying close attention. Suddenly your computer screen fills with illegal pornographic images of minors. You try to navigate away, but a warning screen branded by the National Security Administration’s Internet Surveillance Program pops up with the message: “Your computer has been locked due to suspicion of illegal content downloading and distribution.”

You are then offered a sort of Hobson’s choice: Pay a fine immediately, or face prosecution for downloading child pornography… READ MORE

LucidPress – Online Print and Digital Publishing Software

Lucidpress is a design and layout app that enables anyone to create beautiful print and digital documents. Sign up free Try the demo Lucidpress in 60 seconds Perfect for print Create stunning documents in less time than ever before… GET IT HERE

I recently was faced with situation where I had a hardcopy of a typed document where there was no editable or electronic version available and I needed a way to access and edit the document without completely retyping it.

It was at this point I started to think in terms of OCR (optical character recognition). OCR is software that has the ability to take typewritten (and sometimes handwritten) text and convert it to a digital version that can be electronically stored and edited. In my case, I did not want to install software on the computer, and started to think even further outside the box. I wondered, are there any online OCR services on the internet?

As I have said before, “if you can think of it, someone has done it”… There are quite a few OCR services out there that I tried and the one I am settling with is called Online OCR… Online OCR is a free service in a “Guest mode” (without registration) that allows you to convert 15 images per hour.

I was able to take the hardcopy of the document, scan it to a PDF file, upload the PDF file to Online OCRwhere the text in the file was read and subsequently converted to an editable Microsoft Word document. What sold me on Online OCR was that Online OCR managed to convert the document and retain the formatting (fonts, table, etc…) to near perfection.

Online OCR’s conversion process with recognize 32 languages and can handle up to 8 different input file formats and produce 6 different output formats:

Just talking about the Windows Registry can make the hair stand up on one’s neck; however, if you work in IT there is a high probability, at some point, you will need to dissect the registry to make a system configuration change or to repair a registry setting that has been targeted by malware.

To those who have no idea of what I am talking about; the best and simplest definition I could find to describe the Windows Registry, for those at home, was at WikipediA.

The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Most folks at home are unaware of the registry and the method to edit the registry; which should only be performed by the skilled hands of a computer tech. To put the registry into perspective; ”mess up the registry and you mess up the operation of your computer”.

This is why backing up the registry should be part of your backup strategy. A program, that is FREE, I recently started to use for registry backups is called Registry Backup (go figure) by Tweaking.com .

When I upgraded to Windows 8 I wanted to make sure I had a compatible registry backup program and Registry Backup was the surefire solution. Note: Registry Backup is compatible with Windows XP, 2003, Vista, 2008, 7 & 8 (32 & 64 Bit).

I recently started using this program for several primary reasons:

Registry Backup uses the Windows Volume Shadow Copy Service to backup your system registry, which allows for perfect backups of the registry files and profiles on your computer.

Registry Backup is a full scale backup and restore program that has the ability to restore a backup from safe mode.

Registry Backup has a built-in scheduling option that can perform unattended backups.

I particularly keep registry backups around in the event of a malware infection, which in today’s world of computer, the registry becomes a prime target. Also, during those rare occasions where I do make registry edits, I feel more comfortable making the edits knowing my bacon is covered with Registry Backup.

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